Update - Please refer to the article “My Setup (Q3 2023)” for a summary of my latest setup.

Home Setup

At home, I switch between four devices (one desktop PC and three laptops).

My daily driver is a custom-built desktop PC. It is primarily used for productivity, collaboration, software development, photo editing, virtual labs, gaming and game development (GameMaker Studio 2 and Construct 3).

The full specification can be found below:

  • MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
  • AMD Ryzen 9 3950X 3.5GHz Base / 4.7GHz Boost (16C/32T)
  • Noctua NH-D15 CPU Cooler
  • 64GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 PC4-28800C18 3600MHz RAM
  • 1TB Samsung 980 Pro M.2 PCI-e 4.0 NVM-e SSD
  • 1TB Samsung PM981 M.2 PCI-e 3.0 NVM-e SSD
  • Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 FE 24GB GDDR6X
  • EVGA SuperNova P2 1000W ‘80 Plus Platinum’ PSU
  • Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX Mid Tower Case

The AMD Ryzen 3950X, Samsung 980 Pro and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 are premium components, delivering high-performance across a range of workloads (e.g. multi-threading, ray-tracing gaming, machine learning, video editing, etc.)

When remote or travelling, my daily driver is a Razer Blade 15 Advanced (Late-2019). Similar to my custom-build PC, it is primarily used for productivity, collaboration, software development, photo editing, virtual labs and gaming.

The full specification can be found below:

  • Razer Blade 15 Advanced (Late-2019)
  • Intel i7-9750H 2.6GHz Base / 4.5GHz Boost (6C/12T)
  • 64GB Corsair Vengeance Series 2666MHz DDR4 RAM
  • 1TB Samsung 970 EVO Plus PCI-e NVMe SSD
  • Intel UHD Graphics 630
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q 8GB GDDR6
  • 15.6-inch 4K OLED Touch DCI-P3 HDR400 Display (3840x2160)

I also have a 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro (NOV-2019), which is a secondary device providing native access to the Apple ecosystem for software development (e.g. Xcode), video editing, etc.

The full specification can be found below:

  • 16-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display (NOV-2019)
  • Intel i9-9980HK 2.4GHz Base / 5.0GHz Boost (8C/16T)
  • 32GB 2666MHz DDR4 RAM
  • 1TB PCI-e SSD
  • Intel UHD Graphics 630
  • AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8GB GDDR6
  • 16-inch IPS P3 Display (3072x1920, 500nits)

Although I use Linux across all devices via a virtual machine, I find it useful to have one Linux system running on bare-metal. I use Fedora as my primary Linux distribution, running on a Dell XPS 13, which is a very capable laptop that avoids complexities such as dedicated graphics, which can be problematic with Linux.

The full specification can be found below:

  • 13-inch Dell XPS 13 (9300)
  • Intel i7-1065G7 1.30GHz Base / 3.9GHz Boost (4C/8T)
  • 16GB 3733MHz LPDDR4x RAM
  • 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
  • Intel Iris Plus Graphics
  • 13.4-inch Display (1920x1200, 500nits)

At home, the desktop PC and laptops connect to a 49-inch Super Ultra-Wide monitor, specifically the Samsung C49RG90.

The full specification of the monitor can be found below.

  • Model: Samsung C49RG90
  • Panel Size: 49-inch
  • Panel Type: VA
  • Panel Curvature: 1800R
  • Aspect Ratio: 32:9
  • Resolution: 5120x1440
  • Refresh Rate: 120Hz
  • Variable Refresh Rate: AMD FreeSync 2 (48-120Hz Range)
  • Response Time: 4ms (GTG)
  • Colour Accuracy: 125% sRGB, 92% Adobe RGB, 95% DCI-P3
  • High Dynamic Range: HDR1000
  • Brightness: 600cd/m2 (Typical), 1000cd/m2 (Peak)

My workspace is kept fairly minimal, the Razer Blade 15 Advanced, Apple MacBook Pro and Dell XPS connect to the monitor directly (DisplayPort v1.4), with peripherals connecting via a UGREEN 5-in-1 USB-C Hub, which simplifies the cable management.

My Setup

As you can see, for peripherals, I primarily use the Keychron K1 Version 4, Logitech MX Anywhere 3 and Logitech Brio Ultra HD Pro. The keyboard and mouse were selected as they include “easy-switch”, which makes it simple to toggle between multiple Bluetooth devices.

The photo also highlights my microphone setup, which is a Blue Yeti connected to the Blue Yeticaster, which includes the Compass Boom Arm and Radius III Custom Shockmount. The microphone is primarily used for video conferencing, screencasting, webinars and podcasts.

The photo below provides a closer look at the Samsung C49RG90 monitor.

My Setup

Additional peripherals include headphones (Razer BlackShark V2 and Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H8), controller (Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2), flight controller (Saitek X-55), steering wheel (Logitech G29) and virtual reality headset (Oculus Quest).

As highlighted in the photo below, my desktop PC is hidden under the desk, with the case door exposed providing easy access to the components.

My Setup

The desk and matching pedestals are from Three Counties Office Furniture. They are designed for corporate use, therefore are hard-wearing and include integrated cable management.

Finally, I use a Herman Miller Setu chair, which includes the Kinematic Spine to control resistance, automatically providing support as you recline.

Home Server

Alongside my desktop PC and laptops, I have a small home server, which is connected to my Samsung Q7FN QLED TV. The server manages local and cloud backups, media streaming, and collaboration (video conferencing).

I selected an Apple Mac mini (NOV-2018) for the server, thanks to its excellent power-efficiency (150W max), high-performance I/O (4x Thunderbolt 3, 2x USB-A 3.0) and small form factor. The Mac mini also offers versatile video conferencing capabilities covering Apple FaceTime, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Cisco WebEx, WhatsApp Video, etc.

The full specification of the Mac mini can be found below:

  • Apple Mac mini (NOV-2018)
  • Intel Core i5-8500B 3.0GHz Base / 4.1GHz Boost (6C/6T)
  • 32GB DDR4-2666 RAM
  • 256GB PCI-e SSD
  • Intel UHD Graphics 630
  • 2x 500GB Samsung Portable T5 SSD (USB 3.1 Gen2)

The 1256GB of local SSD storage is split across multiple drives for resilience, with automated backups being completed by Carbon Copy Cloner and Cloud Storage via Dropbox.

To support my minimal (hidden-wire) entertainment setup, the Mac mini is located in a cupboard under the stairs, connected directly to the Samsung One Connect box via HDMI.

The cupboard is a little cluttered, with all the AV equipment (Sony STR-DN1050 AV Receiver, Sony PlayStation 5, Apple Mac mini, Apple TV 4K, Logitech Harmony Hub), but is rarely accessed and offers plenty of room for ventilation.

The only peripheral connected directly to the Mac mini is a Logitech Brio Ultra HD Pro webcam, which delivers phenomenal video quality (4K/30fps - HDR), a wide viewing angle (90-degree dFoV) and a surprisingly good stereo, dual omnidirectional integrated microphone.

My Setup

This setup has been especially valuable during the UK pandemic lockdown, allowing my kids to connect quickly, easily and securely with their grandparents and friends on the big screen.

Work Setup

At work, I use the Razer Blade 15 Advanced and/or Apple MacBook Pro (depending on the workload).

I use two 27-inch Dell U2718Q IPS HDR 4K monitors, connected via a StarTech Dual-DisplayPort to ThunderBolt 3 Adapter. To provide consistency, all other peripherals (e.g. Mouse, Keyboard, and Webcam) are the same as home.

Office Setup

The desk is very basic, with a simple dual-monitor stand. Similar to at home, I use a Herman Miller chair at work, however, due to the extended hours, it is the more robust Mirra 2. This chair includes a phenomenal amount of adjustment, ensuring all-day comfort.

hardware amd ryzen razer blade razer_blade razer_blade_15_advanced apple mac macbook_pro pc my_setup minimal